When Nigeria is mentioned, one of the first things that comes to mind is the notorious oil sector. Once the Nigerian oil sector is mentioned, the oil-producing- and until recently, restive Niger-Delta region comes to mind. Once the Niger-Delta region is mentioned, the Nigerian federal government’s Amnesty Programme initiated in 2009 to quench the fire of restiveness and militancy in the region comes to mind. To this effect, a report assessing this amnesty programme was recently published by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). It also assesses possible future conflict triggers and trends for the Niger-Delta. The report “finds that there is limited consensus on the prospect and scope of future violence in Nigeria, particularly with regard to the upcoming 2015 presidential elections.” Read the full report on the USIP website (PDF).
Here is a summary of the main points:
- The Niger Delta has now enjoyed four years of relative calm. However, there is a significant chance the region could see renewed violent conflict in the next one to two years.
- Dividends from a 2009 amnesty for local militants are real and substantial. They include dramatically improved oil production and revenues, fewer deaths and kidnappings, more relaxed travel restrictions, better elections, and job placement for some ex-fighters.
- Critics of the amnesty claim the program fails to treat the root causes of conflict, is corrupt and unsustainable, and promotes warlordism and the spread of organized crime, among other things.These criticisms are not without basis, but they often lack context and balance.
- Major conflict drivers in the delta are still in place, and no long-term peace plan exists. The coming period likely will bring strong flash points and triggers, particularly around the 2015 presidential and gubernatorial elections.
- Wavering leadership on security, the closedown of the amnesty program in 2015, decreased support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidacy, and close electoral results could all lead to violence in the delta.
- It is possible nonetheless that the election season will pass without a major, prolonged return to violence in the Niger Delta. Nigeria’s fractured opposition parties may fail to produce a consensus candidate, and the delta is likely to vote overwhelmingly for President Jonathan.
- The role played by distributions of oil wealth is a particular wild card. It is also still very much unclear how far conflict around the 2015 elections will reflect deeper sociopolitical divisions in Nigeria, or how deep such divisions run.
- This report finds only limited consensus on how any future violence will look. A majority of sources agreed only on a few likely trends—for instance, an increase in kidnappings and the spread of armed attacks outside the Niger Delta.
Its a very interesting and enlightening report. Four additional points to note include:
- The report states a caveat: “There has been no rigorous assessment of the amnesty program’s successes and failures to date, and this report passes no final judgment.”
- It states that “the amnesty program’s most ambitious goal—job placement for participants—has had demonstrable, if somewhat limited, success. Thus far, the Amnesty Office says it has placed roughly 40 percent of its thirty thousand charges into education and skills training programs. More than five thousand ex-fighters traveled abroad to the United States, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, South Africa, and Ghana, among other places, and more are being processed for deployment… The program does seem to be outperforming older, more moribund government job-training programs…. Amnesty Office officials said in late 2012 that perhaps one hundred to two hundred ex-combatants have found long-term work in maritime services, fabrication, and related fields.” (p.3).
- Though the report states that “…no long-term peace plan exists…”, a five-year Niger-Delta Action Plan (PDF) has been unveiled by the Nigerian government, via the Ministry of Niger-Delta Affairs. The plan is to run from 2013 to 2017.
- It concludes with this fascinating warning: “The road ahead is far too busy for doomsday forecasts, and Nigeria tends to embarrass those who predict its imminent unraveling.” (p.13).
It is worrying that we will continue to allow foreign countries who remain part of our problem to continue to tell us our destiny as a nation. Nigeria certainly is at cross roads as a Nation, other countries like the United States and the UK have passed such cross roads, we will survive the present times and as result we as a people should not continue to listen to the doomsday preachers.
On the contrary, I think this report is quite upbeat about the Niger-Delta, compared to other reports or news about the region. Whereas mainstream reports and commentaries (both local and international) are quick to dismiss the amnesty programme as too expensive, unwieldy, unsustainable and a corruption-ridden failure, this report says that there are some successes. To be honest, I see little use in dismissing all foreign-reports as being driven by some covert agenda to paint Africa or Nigeria black. What about our own local agencies, NGOs, universities and think tanks, who or what is preventing them from publishing their own credible reports?
Thank you Zainab, but I reserve my comments.
You reserve your comments till when? Get it out.
For peace in the niger delta every Nigerian has made his contributions to ensuring sustainable peace in the region either conciously or unconciously by accepting all the developmental initiatives and programmes instituted by successive governments willingly or unwillingly.However recent happenings have clearly shows that peace in the niger delta is not about development or environment but about how well the the nigerian political mathematics favors the mentors of the militant, a statement by Asari dokubo a Close ally of president Jonathan on 2015 general electionis is a clear testimony to that. All the 13% derivation, the NDDC, the ministry for Niger delta, the Amnesty programme, the NDPHC, the five year development plan to 2017 are not enough. so, it is now left for nigerians to decide what to do next as usual..
Niger delta amnesty for ex agitators is a still birth.the amnesty office falsify figures on the numbers of people that have been trained while a greater percentage of people who surrender their arms in 2009 are still roaming the street.who are those people the office is to train?the real cause of resurgence in 2015 in the creek will not be triggered as a result of the end of amnesty.But the F.G unfaithfulness that is streamline by the presidential aid to niger delta matters KingleyNiger delta amnesty for ex agitators is a still birth.the amnesty office falsify figures on the numbers of people that have been trained while a greater percentage of people who surrender their arms in 2009 are still roaming the street.who are those people the office is to train?the real cause of resurgence in 2015 in the creek will not be triggered as a result of the end of amnesty.But the F.G unfaithfulness that is streamline by the presidential aid to niger delta matters KingleyNiger delta amnesty for ex agitators is a still birth.the amnesty office falsify figures on the numbers of people that have been trained while a greater percentage of people who surrender their arms in 2009 are still roaming the street.who are those people the office is to train?the real cause of resurgence in 2015 in the creek will not be triggered as a result of the end of amnesty.But the F.G unfaithfulness that is streamline by the presidential aid to niger delta matters KingleyNiger delta amnesty for ex agitators is a still birth.the amnesty office falsify figures on the numbers of people that have been trained while a greater percentage of people who surrender their arms in 2009 are still roaming the street.who are those people the office is to train?the real cause of resurgence in 2015 in the creek will not be triggered as a result of the end of amnesty.But the F.G unfaithfulness that is streamline by the presidential aid to niger delta matters Kingley kuku.
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